#1
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Do you have a guitar(s) that you know you will own until the day you die?
I'm not talking about the current favorite that you are convinced you'll never let go, because you know eventually you probably will sell it. I'm talking about guitars that for one reason or another you can't get rid of.
Two examples. 1. In the 80's my wife bought me a Japanese Fender Strat that was a real stretch for us, but she worked out a way to make it happen. I could never let that go. 2. I spent about $1,500 for a bunch of really high end Telecaster parts and assembled a phenomenal Tele. I'm attached to it but the real reason I can never sell it is because its almost worthless. I'll be buried with both of them. |
#2
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I have a 000-42 that Scott Baxendale built for me in 1989 that I will never sell. It’s a great sounding guitar.
Wade Hampton Miller |
#3
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Do you have a guitar(s) that you know you will own until the day you die?
2016 Gretsch G5622T-CB: my gigmeister for the last six years. Back in the early-80's I approached a then-upstart young luthier (who has since become arguably the top name in his specific field) about building me a guitar to near-identical specs, and was given a quote of $2300 then (FYI his custom-builds sell well into the five-figure bracket today) - this cost me all of $900 with a Gator Journeyman case (looks almost identical to the $500+ "Western" case from the Gretsch Custom Shop) from Sweetwater, although it's most emphatically not a luthier-built instrument (much less one made to his own stratospheric standards) it offers me everything I need in a rock-solid, reliable package, and if I had to have only one guitar (of any type) this would be it:
2013 Gretsch G6136DC: First became acquainted with the double-cutaway White Falcon as a kid, when I got a copy of the '63 Gretsch catalog from the legendary Silver & Horland music store and saw the color spread inside the back cover; waited 55 years in hopes of finding a near-mint original, scored what may well have been the last NOS Professional Series '62 tribute on earth (not the true late-1963 reissue that Street Sounds offered as an exclusive) in 2018: 1982 Yamaha SSC-500: Made toward the end of Japanese production, with all the quality construction and tone implied therewith. My first three-pickup axe, the inspiration for the aforementioned custom-build inquiry, and the best $199 (brand-new w/OHSC) I ever spent on a guitar: individually switchable pickups allow all seven combinations, coil-tap takes you from seriously hot P-90 style tones (with a touch of Fendery top-end - this one won't sink into the midrange mud when you goose the front end of your tube amp) to straight-outta-Fullerton twang and cluck, and if you prefer heavier strings (as I do) rolling off the tone control and going through the untapped neck PU nails a sweet woody tone ideal for backing jazz vocals - served as my grab-&-go gigging guitar for 25+ years, still does yeoman service for jamming and backup to my Gretsch 5622 at every gig: 1982 Ovation Custom Balladeer acoustic-electric: Yeah, I know they're out of style and I also own two Rainsongs, but this one's delivered forty years of reliable service through thick and thin - and the way things look right now, it'll likely survive Armageddon and still be just as playable and cosmetically intact on the other side of Eternity; simple controls (just a single volume pot on the upper bass bout) but if you plug it into the low-gain input of an American-voiced electric-guitar amp (think blonde/blackface Fender or blue-check Ampeg here) the way Charlie Kaman intended when he designed it back in the mid-1960's, it sounds just like a loud acoustic Ovation rather than the shrill, harsh, metallic sound accepted as "acoustic-electric" tone today - and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if this was Bob T.'s criterion when he touted "the playability of a fine electric" in his pre-NT days:
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#4
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I bought a Martin D-15 in 2001 that will be with me till the day that I die.
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#5
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My Martin Omc-28e. It’s an incredible guitar in its own right and is perfect for what I do, but also important is the fact that it’s way more guitar than I could normally afford. I got it on Black Friday at Manchester Music Mill for $1300. The funny part is that I had debated purchasing that very guitar for $2500 some months before but couldn’t make it work at that price.
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#6
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I think, more than one of my guitars will be here when I leave, but if it’s only one, it will be my Martin J-40.
1. it always sounds great, whatever I play on it 2. together with my D-18 it’s loud enough to fight with a banjo, a mandolin and a fiddle, absolutely great for playing with others, especially with medium strings 3. it’s wonderful for fingerpicking, like the OM-21, very responsive, especially with light strings 4. it’s a great, loud strummer, like the D-18 So, this will be the one.
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Martin D-18MD, Martin OM-21, Martin CEO-7, Martin J-40, Martin 000-1, Guild D-55, Guild D-140, Gibson SJ-200, Gibson Hummingbird, Gibson Frank Hannon Love Dove, Gibson Southern Jumbo, Furch Gc-SR Red Deluxe, Furch Yellow Masters Choice, Larrivee P-03ww, Kawaii piano, mandolines, drumsets, doublebass, Fender Jazzbass, ... |
#7
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This is THE deal! Congrats, Jimi!
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Martin D-18MD, Martin OM-21, Martin CEO-7, Martin J-40, Martin 000-1, Guild D-55, Guild D-140, Gibson SJ-200, Gibson Hummingbird, Gibson Frank Hannon Love Dove, Gibson Southern Jumbo, Furch Gc-SR Red Deluxe, Furch Yellow Masters Choice, Larrivee P-03ww, Kawaii piano, mandolines, drumsets, doublebass, Fender Jazzbass, ... |
#8
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Yes, my 2011 Baranik Meridian "Aurora" (build thread). Mike Baranik built me the guitar of my dreams; I would not change a single thing about it - I love it as much, if not more, than I did when I received it over 11 years ago. I am lucky enough to own some superb guitars, but to be honest I'm not sure I would really miss any of them that much - "Aurora" gets 90%+ of my play time. That guitar is going with me to the grave!
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Wolfram Perfecting the interface between you and your guitar.
wolframslides.com Endorsed by Martin Simpson and Tony McManus. |
#9
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can I choose ALL OF THEM?
Ok! cool ALL OF THEM!
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Ray Gibson SJ200 Taylor Grand Symphony Taylor 514CE-NY Taylor 814CE Deluxe V-Class Guild F1512 Alvarez DY74 Snowflake ('78) |
#10
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There's a pretty good chance I'll have all of my current guitars until I'm gone. I'm 71 this year.
But the 12 string was a gift from a family member. It was her husband's guitar and she gave it to me when he died. I'm obviously not selling that one. My Gibson ES 345 was discovered at the end of a fairly long search process where I purchased a used guitar, played it for 6 months and then traded it for the next one. It's been with me for over 50 years and it's never leaving. IMG_2095.jpg
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Keith Martin 000-42 Marquis Taylor Classical Alvarez 12 String Gibson ES345s Fender P-Bass Gibson tenor banjo |
#11
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I have sold guitars, I once thought I'd own forever. Mainly to free up space.
For more guitars. |
#12
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My Santa Cruz D-12, took a long time to find and afford it, when I play it I wonder why I own any other guitar. It's one f those that makes you feel good when playing it.
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John |
#13
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My Wingert E and Kramer Prairie Grass aren’t going anywhere. I had them custom ordered for a reason - to be the keepers that they are.
Best, Jayne |
#14
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Martin 00-18 Steve Howe.
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#15
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Both of my Koa steel strings - I won the Mcknight/Poling in a contest and the story about how it came to be is enough to write a book about - it will be here for the duration.
The Charis was a gift from 23 forum members when I was experiencing some hard times (after I'd sold it to help with my predicament) Every time I open the case it reminds me that there are still some really wonderful folks in the world. Neither will leave my closet until I can't play any longer.
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"One small heart, and a great big soul that's driving" |